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Yo people, all we need to do is start changing the way engines run. Ethanol is THE best alternative. http://www.popsci.com/popsci/automotive/article/0, 20967,1069364,00.html

Why do pepole talk to this person? Why do people invite this person who is under investigation by the SEC? Why? Why? Why? Here is a popular science article about the person and his company. Sigh...... http://www.popsci.com/popsci/aviation/article/0,20 967,1006786,00.html

http://www.popsci.com/popsci/how2

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in the BBC piece, but this article provides more info on the practicalities of acquiring the materials and actually building the device.

This might be a silly question, but if they do get the NASA contract and develop a 4-person capsule with a per-launch cost of $20 million, would they be allowed to also use the same capsule design for commercial uses, like space tourism? We've already seen a number of people eager to shell out $20 million for an orbital flight, so I can imagine that the number eager to spend $5 million for the same flight would be much higher.

Hmm... I wonder if this would be able to dock with a Bigelow inflatable habitat.

The coolest looking one was the SkyCar, so I looked up more information.

No idea how reliable these are:

Paul Moller and his flying car

His 1974 flying car looked pretty cool, too, from a 1974 perspective. I could see wanting one of those as a teen-ager in the seventies.

Artful Dodger, with Eyes on the Prize

From the Popular Science article:

Buyer beware. In 2003 the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed suit against Moller International in federal court for selling unregistered securities. The suit alleged that while Moller, who has been designing and building vertical-lift vehicles since the early 1960s, had touted the Skycar's promise to investors, "in reality, the Skycar was and still is a very early developmental-stage prototype that has no meaningful flight testing, proof of aeronautical feasibility, or proven commercial viability." The SEC also alleged that Moller misled investors about the firm's financial prospects. Moller paid $50,000 to settle the suit.

To their credit, Moller doesn't seem to be trying to hide that in their company history.

I'd love this to be legit, just thirty years late.

Woody Norris' company invented a device to aim sound, something like a laser does light. There was a good article in the NY Times about it a couple years back. This Popular Science article appears to cover it as well. http://www.popsci.com/popsci/bown/article/0,16106, 388134,00.html

Didn't Popular Science just claim that Minneapolis is America's most technologically advanced city? Seems like citywide wireless access would be a piece of cake for these guys...

There was an article in the February 2005 issue of Popular Science. The article was about Inkjet technology being used in new ways. For example, a 3d printer to prototype new products, and this house "printer". The house printer is buried on the third page if you are only interested in that part of the article

and all the research that needs to be done to make living in space actually possible is going to happen where?

Bigelow Aerospace seems to be making a good bit of progress in that arena. Granted, a lot of their technology came from the NASA-funded Transhab project.

Cheaper is more useful. Rutan isn't a big deal because he nearly equaled Gagarin's first flight, he's a big deal because he did it twice, cheaply.

Rutan's work is novel, and useful, because he does the same old thing, cheaply. Getting to the Moon is in the realm of the ``same old thing'', and if he gets some financing, I suspect he could embarass NASA with a cheap, successful moonshot, though it would cost his backers much more than $20M.

I keep talking about Rutan, but he's just the poster kid for a whole lot of people with interesting ideas.

The fact that NASA doesn't think that it is worthwhile to develop cheap spaceflight makes my point, I think.

PopSci had this article 3 weeks ago.

If it were that easy, somebody would have done it a long time ago. The problem is that adding fuel tanks adds weight, a lot of weight. Most planes a designed to carry a certain weight of cargo, including people and packages, but just adding that much weight in fuel does not get you that much more.

By using a smaller plane they can use much less fuel at a time, and they worked very hard to get the exact mixture of fuel-weight ratio. Simply adding another tank would throw off the whole equation. You have a lot more weight and while the amount of weight may go down over time as the fuel is used, you have to have a bigger engine simply to take off. Even when the extra fuel is depleted you still have the extra weight of the fuel tanks.

As I said in my other post, Popular Science wrote a great article on it.

-> Fritz

The idea behind this airplane is to use just enough fuel to keep itself in the air. It's the only way for the plane to hold enough fuel to circumnavigate the globe.

Popular Science did a great article on this a couple of months ago.

-> Fritz

http://www.popsci.com/popsci/print/0,21553,1017201 ,00.html

The printer-friendly version of the article, with all the text on one page instead of spread out over 5.

http://www.popsci.com/popsci/science/article/0,209 67,1027792,00.html

Pretty much the same, only, you know, an actual frickin' link, you lazy bum.

Yeah, that's happened to me several times -- I submit a story, only to have it rejected and have another submission pop up several days later, with far fewer details and more innane banter. I think you needed to have references to the Genesis Device in yours.

For example, I've had the following submission already rejected once. Maybe I'm weird, but IMHO it seems very much "News for Nerds" and "Stuff that Matters":

Bigelow to launch CSS Skywalker orbital resort by 2010

Popular Science has a cover feature on self-made billionaire and space enthusiast Robert Bigelow (who's been mentioned before on Slashdot). Bigelow plans to launch a 'CSS Skywalker' orbital resort by 2010 and sell space habitats to others, such as scientists, manufacturers, Hollywood producers, and countries. The habitats will be made of inflatable modules with multilayered kevlar-like walls. A prototype habitat will be launching on a SpaceX Falcon V next year. To help ensure cost-effective access to the station, Bigelow is also running the $50 million America's Space Prize. In the long run, the modules could be the basis for space yachts and moon cruisers.

I tried resubmitting it after changing the title and reorganizing it to make it better somehow, but it's been sitting in the submission queue for about a day now.

Yeah, that's happened to me several times -- I submit a story, only to have it rejected and have another submission pop up several days later, with far fewer details and more innane banter. I think you needed to have references to the Genesis Device in yours.

For example, I've had the following submission already rejected once. Maybe I'm weird, but IMHO it seems very much "News for Nerds" and "Stuff that Matters":

Bigelow to launch CSS Skywalker orbital resort by 2010

Popular Science has a cover feature on self-made billionaire and space enthusiast Robert Bigelow (who's been mentioned before on Slashdot). Bigelow plans to launch a 'CSS Skywalker' orbital resort by 2010 and sell space habitats to others, such as scientists, manufacturers, Hollywood producers, and countries. The habitats will be made of inflatable modules with multilayered kevlar-like walls. A prototype habitat will be launching on a SpaceX Falcon V next year. To help ensure cost-effective access to the station, Bigelow is also running the $50 million America's Space Prize. In the long run, the modules could be the basis for space yachts and moon cruisers.

I tried resubmitting it after changing the title and reorganizing it to make it better somehow, but it's been sitting in the submission queue for about a day now.

http://www.popsci.com/popsci/science/article/0,209 67,1018934,00.html

"One of six prototype solar dishes installed near Albuquerque by Sandia National Laboratories. The plant will produce up to 150 kilowatts of grid-ready electrical power."

"Huge portions of home building could be done in large factories, and equally huge strides could be made standarizing the hookups to electricity, communications and plumbing. i'm not talking about crappy mobiles..."

Well aren't you behind? I'm living in a modular apartment complex put up by "Cardinal Industries Inc" in 1983.

"the endless permits etc...people complain about software but if software were as absurd as home building you would have to get several CDs from various licensed contractors, get a permit from the state to install a computer, have the computer inspected as it is installed and each CD of components is inserted, etc..."

The two aren't equivalent, so any analogies are going to fail.

Anyway Popsci has already covered ContourCraft as part of it's article on applications of the inkjet.

Yes, it may sound like one of the best jobs, but one misstep and you may find yourself on the Worst Jobs in Science list:

flyingtoaster writes "For the second year in a row, Popular Science published their annual countdown of the worst jobs in science. This year's list includes Anal-Wart Researcher...

The magazine Popular Science has an article this month about how printing technology is starting to get for making everything from microcircuits to houses.

The magazine Popular Science has an article this month about how printing technology is starting to get for making everything from microcircuits to houses.

Just put the new Bose suspension system on the car if you want it to jump. Check out the last paragraph on page four of this article for a description.

Popular Science ran an article on Aubrey de Grey last month as well. Guy's getting a lot of press these days.

Popular Science last month had an article on de Grey.

At what point do the odds of surgery to lengthen your life begin to lessen your odds of surviving the surgery?

Which is why over 10,000 people are already on the waiting list to pay $190,000 for a ride when it comes out. That is over $2 billion of potential revenue, and they expect the initial investment to be around less than $150 million. Unless they screw up and have a crash that scares everyone away, they are practically garenteed profit.

You are talking about a generation that grew up watching the first people to land on the moon and who were "promised" flying cars and space colonies were just around the corner, and now they are finally getting a chance for the first step into that future. Considering that people have spent $15 million dollars for a ride in the Soyuz, all the other ways celebrities throw away money, and how popular risking exotic "x-activities" are I am not surprised at all by the response.

Things you probably cant do nowadays but we did in high school (which was only 8 yrs ago) 1) Play with radioactive stuff

Play with radioactive stuff? Why not drink it! Oh, yeah, I remember the days when radioactive stuff was cool, trendy and good for you. On the other hand, it has been many years since then, but as far as I remember physics has never been "uncool" for me. Though apparently I was "uncool" for the bullies, but that's another story. And since I read the Sex Tips For Geeks by Eric S. Raymond I believe that I am not only cool, but actually quite a hot stud if you ask me. All in all, a very interesting article, but in my opinion it should pay more attention to social problems that the most intelligent kids face these days, as unfortunately many of us know from experience.

Pop Sci link on wobulation

Basically since DLP displays can't be made to have a physical resolution high enough for HDTV but they can change pixels awfully fast they have each DLP element alternate display of two different colors very fast which tricks the eye into thinking it sees 4 pixels worth of information. The article does a much better job explaining it.

But yeah, odds are just crappy journalism.

This looks like something I read in January's Popular Science last week!

Popular Science ran an article about just that in November with their "Worst Jobs in Science" sequel. Read the cute and cuddly here: Lab-Animal Veterinarian.

Curse you evil Link-Pixie! Peltier one can chiller

"It's an exercise in futility to get science across in Congress," says Raphael Sagarin, a marine ecologist who just finished his year in D.C. "The side with more power wins, not the side with the best data or the most cogent argument."

Sagarin saw this happen on issues in his field from endangered species to global warming. Despite the din of scientific consensus on the latter, our government continues to ignore the problem. Sagarin's boss, Rep. Hilda Solis (DCA), sought to base legislation on solid science, as did many of her colleagues from across the aisle. But the committees that spawn environmental legislation--Resources, and Energy and Commerce--are chaired by Richard Pombo (RCA) and Billy Tauzin (RLA) respectively. Pombo has announced his wish to "update" the Endangered Species Act. Tauzin seems more interested in helping corporate polluters than in looking at greenhouse gas data.

"It was so bad on this committee that they would not even pass an amendment that would have stated for the record that Congress has concerns about global warming," Sagarin recalls. "It's so highly politicized, the science just doesn't matter." Though he is now embarking on his post-doc, Sagarin feels great relief to be liberated from his government post. "I'm happy," he says, "to come back to science."

Did you see this link at the bottom of the main article? How bad would the job of that contraption's test-pilot be?

Well, they DID mention Computer Help-Desk Tech

to /. trolls ;) http://www.popsci.com/popsci/science/article/0,209 67,713425,00.html

Actually, there are several companies that are working on reduced "boom" aircraft that produce little to no sonic boom. link: http://www.popsci.com/popsci/aviation/article/0,20 967,660142-1,00.html

Hardly short range. You can increase Bluetooth's range to a full mile, with a simple, inexpensive modification.

God save me from a hot beer.
I read about peltiers in Popular Science, just want to spread the joy.

See the article about Concept Centaur in next month's Popular Science magazine for more information and photos:

http://www.popsci.com/popsci/generaltech/article/0 ,20967,710982,00.html

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The article says it can carry 4,000 pounds, and loiter at 12 miles altitude for a year:

From a military perspective, such an XXL craft may seem like an inviting target, especially since its top speed is only 80 mph. However, parked 12 miles up, it will be immune to most ground-launched missiles, and its onboard sensor systems will "see" at least 350 miles in any direction, allowing it to spy most incoming military threats. A fleet of 10, says the MDA, could provide an early-warning curtain for the continental United States.

What are you talking about? Lightning prediction systems?

If it's lightning, aiming lightning isn't difficult.

Just use a laser to ionize the air. If you have a powerful laser on a 747 it makes it easier as you can shoot past a suitable cloud to the target and make it look like the target was hit by an "act of God".

You could use a maser to ionize the air too. Not sure if such a maser beam would be invisible to the naked eye.

Sure, here's some links for you.
Popular Science - That's where I first read about it, there was actually a test-drive in the early 90s or so but I couldn't find the article. The tester's opinion did stick with me though!
Edmunds
Gizmo Highway
GM's drive-by-wire and fuel cell concept vehicle
In fact there's a whole slew of articles out there - it's tough to pick which ones are the best.

Odds are it will eventually happen. If people can't adjust, car makers will simply introduce an electronic force-feedback system which mimics what you'd normally feel. Heck, it could have an on-off switch too, so if it was raining/snowing/etc you could turn on the force feedback to 'get a feel for the road' but during a normal sunny drive to the store the system could be off.

sorry for the OT post, but I've been submitting this to the Science section for a week. Popular Science has an article about a tinkerer named Somender Singh from India who seems to have figured out how to increase the efficiency of the Internal Combustion Engine by 20%. He describes the innovation in US patent number 6237579 and in an article he published in 2002 available at racingarticles.com. There's an earlier blurb about his discovery in the Indian webzine the-week.com. Are you gonna be the first geek to Singh-mod your car on your block?

My Camaro will out accelerate you, out corner you, and has a higher top speed than your hybrid.

not fucking likely... though to be fair, they never actually turned this into a production vehicle.... pity... I'd sell my soul

Popular Science article is here

Some people I know and work with (in the computer field) have gone with Paragon CRT instead of Lasik and they cannot stop raving about it. Apparently it dosent work for everyone depending on how bad and or prone to glaucoma or astigmatism they are, but it is entirely reversible as there is no surgery involved.

Doing a simple google search brought up a simple explanation at Popular Science, http://www.popsci.com/popsci/medicine/article/0,12 543,658680,00.html

There is also a homepage, http://paragoncrt.com/

I would read more about before making a decision tho.

Best of luck.

I highly doubt anyone on earth has a reasonable understanding of the "technology" which doesn't exist, and I'm damn sure noone could produce a working model.

Some day soon, we might have a working model.

I love obscure sigs that go right over the heads of 95% of the people who read them ;) I still need to finish the rest of the series - I've only watched through the Black Rose saga.

I've actually been pondering on how to produce such rings at home... my ideas thusfar are revolving around this.

The article says the rounds from these railguns can penentrate a target pretty deep and can bore a 10 feet hole in a surface. This is pretty serious damage considering that explosives can be done away with - something tells me that future war would/should be fought with conventional weapons which do damage purely based on the speed of the projectiles and spare the world from collateral damage resulting from the use of nuclear, chemical or biological weapons. Ideally, there should be no war but don't the big guns (no pun intended) believe that peace is a break in between wars?

An interesting read about the future of war here!.